1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of retractors for use in storing webs or belts utilized in vehicle restraint systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vehicle restraint systems for children may either be integrated with the regular passenger seat or may be provided by means of an auxiliary seat positioned atop the regular passenger seat. In either case, a pair of belts are pulled outwardly from the seat and over the child with a tongue or a pair of tongues mounted to the belts lockingly engageable with a seat belt buckle positioned adjacent the child 's legs. One such child's seat is shown in the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,090.
Various mechanisms are used for mounting the belts to the seat. For example, one common technique is to attach the ends of the belt behind the seat to a bar, in turn, attached to a single web wound on a retractor located behind or beneath the seat, such as shown in the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,148. Another technique is to eliminate the bar attached to the pair of belts and instead provide a single retractor having a pair of spools attached together to rotate at all times together with each spool wrappingly receiving a separate belt.
It is the practice to use an automatic locking type retractor in combination with the child restraint system. The retractor spool will automatically lock once sufficient amount of web is extended and then slightly retracted. Thus, when utilizing a child restraint system having a pair of belts each of which has a separate tongue, the retractor will automatically lock once the first belt is pulled outwardly and slightly released upon locking of the tongue to the buckle. Since the retractor spool is locked, it is not possible to fully pull outwardly the second belt to facilitate locking of the second tongue to the buckle. Disclosed herein is a child restraint system having a dual spool retractor with each retractor spool operating independently and with a single pawl lock for simultaneously locking both spools once a sufficient amount of belt has been extended from both of the spools.